Wandering around Downtown Wellington, February 2020
February 23, 2020
Last Sunday I drove to the first town south of Oberlin. Wellington’s history is unlike Oberlin’s in many ways. Most especially, it is not a college town but a town with an important role in a farm-related business: cheese making. Murals on downtown buildings depict Wellington’s past, and the town’s big old Victorian houses reflect the prosperity of some of its early citizens. Another thing that sets Wellington apart is that Archibald Willard worked in Wellington and is buried there. You may not know his name, but you may be familiar with Willard’s painting (or its take-offs) called The Spirit of ’76. Wellington has a few more-prosaic distinctions, too, as you’ll see below. Then, of course, I found some things I just plain like. Or make that, some plain things I just like.
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4 Mr. Crosier’s cheese-factory building still stands, now housing a yoga studio.
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Romancing Reality 
Linda, It’s not nature, but I’m glad you are getting out and having an interesting photo day. Those pictures are so midwestern. It’s really different there than here.
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February 23, 2020 at 7:13 AM
Yes, besides not being nature, it’s not Florida. But I’ve always enjoyed seeing what I can where I am, so it’s still great fun. I’m going back to Wellington later this morning; there are more alleys there to explore.
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February 23, 2020 at 7:55 AM
You’re right that I didn’t recognize the name Archibald Willard but did recognize “The Spirit of ’76” as soon as I saw it.
That’s quite an interplay of fire escape, shadows, and bricks in #10, and of fence planks and metal elements in #12.
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February 23, 2020 at 8:26 AM
Wish I knew what those metal things in #12 were; they were at the back of the property of a large hardware store. Thanks for writing, Steve.
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February 23, 2020 at 2:26 PM
I referred to those things as metal elements, not knowing what they are. I thought maybe you’d know, but we’re both at a loss.
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February 23, 2020 at 10:36 PM
Now this is what I would call an interesting day. For us and for you. Excellent photos, Linda.
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February 23, 2020 at 11:19 AM
Thanks, Ken. It was an interesting day. I returned to Welilngton for another fun-filled time his morning. Will download in the next few minutes. I’m crossing my fingers for decent exposures. It’s harder to chimp with my new photo-grey glasses—can’t see the screen very well.
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February 23, 2020 at 2:29 PM
I don’t wear my glasses when I’m shooting. I’ve set the diopter to +1 and I can see thru the viewfinder just fine. I almost never look at the screen. I’m pretty sure you can find an adjustment in your viewfinder to suit your needs.
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February 23, 2020 at 4:56 PM
You don’t have to look at the histograms and check the highlights? I’m impressed. When moving from a bright to a shady spot and vice versa, I sometimes do very stupid things. Other times it’s just stupid things.
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February 23, 2020 at 8:25 PM
I’m with Ken, I almost never look at the screen when I’m shooting; the mirrorless Z 6 and X-T2 have live histograms in the viewfinder; of course I use the screens when reviewing the pics at home, but on a bright day the viewfinder is good for this too. Those photo-grey glasses may not be a good idea. 🙂
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February 24, 2020 at 3:17 AM
Aha! Histograms in the viewfinder. What a nice idea. I have been lusting after a Z6, so it’s nice to know it has them.
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February 24, 2020 at 2:54 PM
We are all different of course, and I can only speak for myself, but to me the only word for the Z 6 is superb. I usually use it with a 70-300 zoom, and because the Z 6 produces very usable images in APS-C format, this zoom becomes 70-450, which is incredibly useful. Similarly, my 24-120 zoom becomes 24-180, again very, very handy. 🙂
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February 25, 2020 at 2:20 AM
You do have fun, don’t you? I’m glad to be along and experience your eye for the little things.
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February 23, 2020 at 1:06 PM
Yes, I do, Michael. I’m glad you’re along for this ride. Thank you.
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February 23, 2020 at 2:30 PM
I was unaware of this town, but it looks so interesting. Loved the combination of the town history pictures along with your own “eye” for unusual objects, shape, and shadows. Thanks, Linda!
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February 23, 2020 at 4:48 PM
Thank you, Clare. I don’t do much storytelling on this blog (or elsewhere), but the murals were new since the last time I’d been in Wellington, and one thing led to another. You know I couldn’t ignore the unusual things, though.
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February 23, 2020 at 8:32 PM
“Plain” and “like” can fit together several different ways… 😉 The oldest barbershop in Ohio photo is a real gem! Fantastic image, with the flag, the open sign and the reflections (and you!!). The sax is beautiful, too. Oh, Linda – did you see the old Mobil oil tiles in #9? I think that’s what they are – was it maybe the local gas station & repair shop in earlier days? Or are they little anonymous griffins? 🙂
I love the way you framed #10, with a little more shadow than staircase. #12 is really beautiful – just perfectly composed and exposed again – you are masterful at making that kind of image sing. We think it could be high-end scaffolding. ?? That may be my favorite of these photos but I like the heavy silvery tarp, too. It’s been nice wandering with you these last weeks.
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February 28, 2020 at 5:14 PM
This post was something of a hodge podge; I’m glad you found things to like. I removed my polarizer from its semi-permanent position over the lens a few weeks ago. I’m sure that if it had still been in place, the oldest-barbershop photo would have looked quite different. Still, I liked the muddle (but didn’t notice until you pointed it out that I’m in that one). The sax photo is the result of drastic processing. There were so many distracting elements around the instrument that I had to get rid of them for you to notice the sax. I cranked down the shadows and blacks all the way. Now about the Mobile Oil tiles. Sorry, but they aren’t. If you go to the Other Files link at the top of this page, you will see a link to a page called Mobilegas, Not. Too bad; I liked your story. My friend Ruth saw #10 as a weaving, with the bricks as the weft (Ruth is a weaver). I think I was present at that fire escape at just the right time of day; the shadows are so substantial. Maybe that’s why I let them have so much of the frame. Having nothing else, I’ll go with your and Joe’s high-end scaffolding notion. Glad you like the silvery tarps; I have more . . .
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February 29, 2020 at 12:47 PM
Really love these wonderful scenes from a wanderful day. Wellington looks like an interesting place to spend some time!
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September 8, 2020 at 12:46 PM
Thank you, Patricia. I had not found Wellington all that interesting the few times I’d been there before this February. I think the town is spiffy itself up. I plan to return.
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September 8, 2020 at 2:02 PM